Shawna Thomas Is Named Vice News Washington Bureau Chief

She leaves NBC News after a decade there.

Shawna Thomas, who has been at NBC News for the past decade, the last two spent at Meet the Press, where she is senior producer and senior editor, is moving on. Thomas has been named Washington bureau chief at Vice News, responsible for both digital and television content.

And since fewer than 100 almost assuredly absurd days remain in this election, Vice News head Josh Tyrangiel is tasking Thomas with looking past the elections, to focus on policy coverage à la Vice, meaning, as Tyrangiel said in a statement, “We are really interested in the federal government and how it works and why it doesn’t work. Getting people to engage with policy and take it to the next level by making it visually creative and timely is a really hard thing. Shawna is perfectly situated to do that. She is a creative thinker.”

It is quite the challenge, as Thomas recognizes. She tells Poltico, “This incredible opportunity to help tell stories in a different way that challenges news expectations has me energized. Getting stories about Washington and politics on air in the stark and authentic style of Vice News is going to be both demanding and fulfilling.”

This is the second MTP-related departure this week. Earlier, Meet the Press companion show, MSNBC’s MTP Daily, saw the exit of producer Brooke Brower.

Editor’s note: This post has been updated to reflect the fact that Thomas spent two years at Meet the Press and not six as originally stated.